More motorists nabbed using Christchurch bus lanes

Bus drivers on routes through Riccarton don’t just have to deal with of one the city’s busiest roads, they are often required to make unscheduled stops behind errant motorists.

Riccarton Rd features prominently as a target area for enforcement of bus lane infractions by the city council.

Stretches of the road occupy three of the top five locations for vehicles either driving or caught parking in a designated special vehicle lane.

Figures obtained by The Star indicate the number of motorists nabbed driving in bus lanes has escalated from 1870 in 2018 to 4731 in 2020.

They are fined $150.

Ticket revenue generated $280,500 in 2018, jumping to $690,300 in 2019 (4602 offences) and $709,650 last year.

The number of cars found parked in bus lanes has fluctuated from 2018, with 751 tickets issued worth $69,860.

There were 1941 tickets issued in 2019 ($129,260). Numbers were down in 2020 (1475 – $104,018), with roads not as busy due to Covid-19 restrictions enabling more people to work from home.

The latest figures for 2021 – to the end of March – reveal 1062 motorists being ticketed ($159,300) for driving in bus lanes, while there were 375 cars parked in bus lanes, raising $25,873.

Revenue collected from infringement notices is diverted to the parking compliance budget.

Riccarton Rd featuring prominently is not surprising given the bus lanes are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are monitored by two enforcement cameras.

A camera has also been installed to monitor the lanes on Main North Rd between Langdons Rd and Sawyers Arms Rd outside Northlands Shopping Centre.

Other lanes are monitored by parking compliance officers.

“Our enforcement activity is not about revenue gathering; it’s about ensuring the transport network is operating as it is designed to. I would be thrilled if we weren’t giving out any fines because that would mean that nobody is misusing the bus lanes,’’ said city council transport operations manager Steffan Thomas.

“The only reason they should be driving in a bus lane is if they are making a turn. Even then, you can only drive in the lane for less than 50 metres – that’s the length of an Olympic-sized swimming pool or half a rugby field,’’ Thomas said.

Christchurch currently has 17 bus lanes. The latest was introduced on Cranford St in St Albans to ease public transportation through peak hour congestion to and from the Northern Corridor.

Top-5 Bus Lane infraction locations (driving)
Riccarton Rd – Mona Vale Ave to Deans Ave
Riccarton Rd – Division St to Matipo St
Main North Rd – Cranford St to Northcote Rd
Papanui Rd – Leinster Rd to Heaton St
Riccarton Rd – Picton Ave to Clarence St

Top-5 Bus Lane infraction locations (parking)
Riccarton Rd – Deans Ave to Bartlett St
Papanui Rd – Various locations
Main North Rd – Various locations
Riccarton Rd – Bartlett St to Mandeville St
Riccarton Rd – Mona Vale Ave to Deans Ave